Railroad-crossing signal



.G. 'A. MILLER.

RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL.

APPLICATION HLED JUNE 3, 1920.

1,370,83 1 Patented Mar. 8, 1921.

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G. A. MILLER.

RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED nuns 3. 1920.

1, Patented M81- 8, 1921.

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parts shown in another nosi 'tJNITED STATES GEORGE A. MILLER, OF TAMAROA, ILLINOIS.

RAILROAD-CROSSING SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 8, 1 921..

Application filed June a, 1920. Serial No. 386,385.

To all 2072 0772- it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon A; Human a citizen of the inted States residing at Tamaroa, in the county of Perry and Eitate of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improrements in Railroad-Crossing Signals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to si nal apparatus designed for installation at railway crossings to indicate to pedestrians or drivers of vehicles the approach of trains, and the in vention has for its object to provide a novel and improved signal apparatus of this kind which is entirely automatic in oieration, the control being effected by the train traveling toward the crossing.

The invention also has for provide the signal ap tratus with an indicator for communica ing to the engineer or motorina the fact whether or the apparatus is properly functioning.

lVith the objects stated in View, the vention consists in a combination and rangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed, and in order that the same may be better understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings form ing a part of thi specification.

In the drawin s,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 22 of Fig. 1; i

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to l 3 wit 1 the 5 is an elevation of apparatus in usnlay )osition;

G is a vertical section on the line 66 of Fig. 2, with the parts shown in nondisplay position, and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged elevation of an electro-magnet and certain parts associated therewith.

Referring specifically denotes the rails of a railway t ed on st "ingc'rs or ties 11 as us crossing or other point along th where protection is to be afforded 's a hollow post 12 rising to a suitable and housing a signal arm or blace latter being carried by and extending radially from a shaft 14 journaled in opposite its object I walls of the housing. When in a non-display position the signal arm 13 occupies a pendent position in the post 12, and it is adapted to be swung to extend horizontally from the post, as shown in Fig. 5, this being the display position. The arm 13 swings upwardly to display position, and it passes into and out of the post 12 through a slot 15 in the side wall thereof.

Alongside the post 12, one of the ties 11 carries bearings 16 in which is journaled a horizontally positioned rock-shaft 17 hav ing a crank arm 18 which is connected by a link or rod 19 to the signal arm 13 whereby, when said shaft is rocked in one direction, the arm is swung upwardly and outwardly to display position, whereas a movement of the shaft in the opposite direction allows the arm to swing back into the post 12 to non-display position.

From the shaft 17 also extends a lever arm 20 to which is connected one end of a strong coiled spring 21 having its other end anchored to one of the ties 11.

Opposite the free end of the lever arm 20 is positioned the pivoted armature 22 of'an electro-magnet 23 supported by one of the ties 11. The armature 22 has teeth 24 with any one of which the extremity of the lever arm 20 is adapted to be engaged to hold it down against the tension of the spring 20, the armature therefore acting as a latch device for the lever arm.

The electro-magnet 23 is interposed inan open track circuit which is closed when a;

train enters the track section. This is a well known circuit arran ement and hence it- C) need not be illustrated, nor further described exce )i] that it is to be understood that the electro-magnet is energized when tie circui is closed by the approaching train and that this action takes place some distance from the site of the signal apparatus, so that the signal arm 13 may be swung to display position a suitable perio of time before the train reaches the crossing. The track section in which the cir-. cuit is included also terminates some distance from the crossing, so that the circuit is broken by the time the tra n reaches the crossing. A momentary closing of the circuit is all that is necessary to energize the electro-magnet, after which the circuit may be broken, without affecting the subsequent operations ofrestoring the arm 13 to nondisplay position after the train passes the crossing.

WVhen an approaching train closes the .track circuit, the electro-magnet 23 is energized, whereupon the armature 22 1S attracted to release the lever arm 20. The spring 21 now functions to swing the lever arm and rock the shaft 17, whereby, through the connections 18 and 19, the signal arm 13 is swung to display position, and is so held by the spring. When the train passes the crossing, the wheels passing over the elevated lever arm will depress the same, thereby rocking theshaft 17 in a direction to allow the signal arm 13 to swing back into the post 12 to non-display position. As

' the lever arm 20 is forced down it catches on the teeth of the armature 22 and is thus locked in lowered position against the tension of the spring 21, and the parts are now back to their normal position for the next actuation; It will be understood that the lever arm 20 seats closely alongside one of the rails 10 so that the car wheels may come in contact with said arm when they pass over the same.

The connection between the shaft 17 and the lever arm 20 is madeby a radially projecting pin 25 carried by said shaft and extending in a slot 26 in the hub of the lever,

Thus, when the arm 20 is pressed down by the car wheel, and the end of the slot moves away from the pin, the signal arm 13 can drop by gravity to non-display position.

The post 12a1so carries an electric bell 27 and a lamp 28 obtaining current from a suitable source shown diagrammatically at '30. The circuit of the bell and the lamp is controlled by a switch composed of a stationary contact 31 and a switch tongue 32 normally spaced therefrom and adapted to come intocontact therewith when'the arm 13 is swung to display position, the tongue 32 being in the path of the crank arm 18'. When the arm 13 ,moves to non-display position and the crank arm 18 leaves the switch tongue 32, the lamp and bell circuit is broken. It will therefore be seen that the control of the signal lamp and bell is entirely automatic.

whether the crossing signal apparatus is properly functioning, so that he may stop the train or slow up and proceed with cantion if the arm 341 indicates that the arm 13 has not been swung to display position. I claim: I T 1. A railway crossing signal comprising a signal arm, a pivotal support for said arm, a rock shaft having an operative connection with the signal arm, lever arm operatively connected to the rockshaft for turning the same in a direction to swing the signal arm to display position,rsaid connection being a loose one to permit the shaft' to turn in a direction to allow the signal arm to swing to non-display position, a spring connected to the lever arm for operating the same to turn the rock shaft in a direction to place the signal arm in display position, said le-. ver arm being positioned for train actuation to effect the return of the signal arm to non display position, a latch for locking the lever arm. when the signal armis in non-dis play position, an electro-magnet controlling the latch, and a train controlled energizing circuit for'the electromagnet.

2. A railway crossing signal comprising a signal arm, a pivotal support for said arm, a rock shaft having an operative connection with the signal arm, a lever arm operatively connected to the rock shaft for turning the same in a direction to swing the signal arm to display position, said connection being a loose one to permitthe shaft to turn in a direction to allow the signal arm to swing to non-display position, a spring connected to the lever arm for operating the same to turn the rock shaft in a direction to, place the signal arm in display position, said lever arm being positioned for train actuation to effect the return of the signal arm to non-display ,position, a latch for locking the lever arm when the signal arm is in non-display position, an electro-magnet controlling the latch, a train controlled energizing circuit for the electro -magnet, and an auxiliary signal arm movable with the aforesaid signal arm and extending in adifi'erent direction.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

GEORGE A. MILLER. 

